Pianist, keyboardist, percussionist, arranger and composer, Cameron Greenlee built a musical foundation while growing up in the Bronx, New York. In addition to classical training at the Universities of Miami and New Hampshire in the United States as well as El Conservatorio de Música de Toledo, Spain, Greenlee’s artistic influences range from blues to reggae, baroque to punk—his is an innovative artistry embedded with a relentless yearning for that new and unique sonic realm. More recently, a seasoned session musician on recordings including St. Croix’s Midnite and Jamaica’s Ernie Smith, Greenlee has also backed jazz virtuoso Branford Marsalis, Hip Hop pioneer Slick Rick and is now touring with the Skatalites, renowned worldwide as Jamaica’s first pop sensation.
Inspired by early Augustus Pablo records, recent Ernie Ranglin productions and anything Monty Alexander puts his name on, Cameron is proud to step into the bandleader’s position on this adventurous project. Indeed, the mystique of foundation Jamaican roots music never sounded so clear as it does here on his new EP with the Trenton Street Collaborative. An instrumental project, Greenlee keys a musical back and forth between sometimes delicate and sometimes brash—but always compelling—saxophone, melodica, percussion and horn solos played by some of the most respected musicians on the scene: Cedric ‘IM’ Brooks (The Skatalites), Andy Bassford (Toots & The Maytals, Dennis Brown) and Kevin Bachelor (Steel Pulse, Miles Davis). To experience Greenlee’s piano going toe to toe with funky guitar riffs over a Rastafarian percussive beat, for example, reestablishes the link between the original grounation sessions held at the Wareika Hill community outside Kingston, Jamaica in the 60s that sparked the emergence of reggae with the spirit of the music today.
“Nor’easter” sets the tone by adding a bright piano ska riff, tights horns and punctuated percussion to a creeping bass line for a cool jazzy groove. Dubwise breakdowns bridge the divide between Cameron Greenlee’s haunting organ on “Lazy Bones” and the powerful spirit of the original composer, the immortal Jackie Mitoo, effectively linking past and present on this ska classic. And while the powerful minimalism of rasta drumming is central on “In The Wolves Den”, a funky reggae party is created nonetheless with crisp guitar and horn arrangements. “Please Sunrise” is Cameron Greenlee’s cleverly crafted piano-led answer to Augustus Pablo’s original. Here, Greenlee & the Trenton Street massive respond with an original bluesy collaboration highlighted by Greenlee’s piano as well as superb organ and melodica arrangements. With emphatic final statements by the entire Trenton Street crew, “Out Of Darkness” completes the musical journey. However, as with any journey, and for all jazz, roots and reggae fans, this will really be but a first step among many for Cameron Greenlee & The Trenton Street Collaborative.
